Atlantic City officials discuss Boardwalk fires, and 12 more South ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ stories you may have missed
The latest stories from The ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥, in case you missed them.
- Michelle Brunetti Post
ATLANTIC CITY — In the wake of a string of recent fires that damaged the iconic Boardwalk — one started by a campfire that killed a homeless man — resort leaders vowed Friday to find ways to prevent more homeless encampments from popping up.
“It’s not illegal to be homeless, but it is illegal to start fires under the Boardwalk,†said Boardwalk Committee Chair Tom Lamaine during a Friday morning Clean and Safe Atlantic City meeting. “I’m anxious to be sure we have a Boardwalk to be chairman of.â€
The fires have been happening as the city is embarking on a $26 million repair and rebuilding program for the aged structure, which runs about five miles from Gardner’s Basin to the border with Ventnor.
Last month, Bruce Eder, 67, died in a fire under Central Pier near a homeless encampment at the Boardwalk and Tennessee Avenue, where a campfire apparently got out of control, authorities said.
The police and public works do constant checks, said police Chief James Sarkos, but cannot always see the encampments.
“The places they are are deeply embedded. We can’t get to them unless we crawl on our hands and knees,†Sarkos said. “You can’t see them without crawling to get there. A lot of times they set up in the middle of the night.â€
At Wednesday’s CitiStat meeting, the fires were also front and center.
“We’ve had several Boardwalk fires, and there’s nobody more frustrated about that than the folks sitting at the table, including myself,†said Business Administrator Anthony Swan at the monthly meeting of city directors and residents. “We meet constantly on how to address that issue.â€
Swan said the city’s Health and Human Services Department and Police Department are always out looking for such encampments.
“The problem is the law doesn’t allow the PD (Police Department) to do what PD needs to do,†Swan said. “PD can only move people along ... write a summons, they can’t arrest anybody.â€
Swan said the homeless return as soon as the police leave.
“The solution is a combination of a change in the law that allows PD to do what PD needs to do, and also folks taking advantage of the services we offer,†Swan said.
In biweekly Clean and Safe meetings, city and law enforcement leaders, business owners, legislators and residents come together to work on making the city better for residents and visitors. The committee has succeeded in cracking down on repeat shoplifters, getting streetlights repaired and replaced, and creating a cooperative relationship to solve problems.
CitiStat is a monthly meeting for residents and others to bring up their concerns to city department heads.
The main problem is the city is overwhelmed with homeless, with other municipalities sending their homeless here because there are many more social services here, several people said.
“As long as Atlantic City has more than its share of homeless people, it is going to be that way,†Lamaine said. “We are inviting homeless people to come. ... As opposed to other communities, Atlantic City fits a homeless person more than any other.â€
Greater Atlantic City Chamber President Michael Chait recommended the group advocate for a bill like one introduced in 2016 by then state Sen. Chris Brown, R-Atlantic.
The bill (A1088) would have required social services be prearranged before a homeless person is relocated to a different municipality or county, and a plan would have to include an explanation of why the services could not be provided at home.
Brown, now an adviser to Gov. Phil Murphy on Atlantic City issues, said the main reason it never passed was “(Camden County political boss) George Norcross, (then state Senate President) Steve Sweeney and the Democratic caucus.â€
Joe Berg, chief of staff to state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, and Assembly members Don Guardian and Claire Swift, all R-Atlantic, said after the meeting he is researching that bill and may recommend it or something similar for reintroduction by Polistina.
While some homeless are sent here by other cities and counties, some choose to come here because of the 24/7 nature of the resort, Berg said.
“None of these homeless originate from Atlantic City; there is no question about it,†Sarkos said.
- John Russo
CAPE MAY — The county will complete the final resurfacing of phase 2 of Jackson and Lafayette streets this week.
Beginning Monday, milling will commence along Lafayette Street at Sydney Street and continue south to Madison Avenue. Milling depth will be about 6 inches, with a 4-inch intermediate base course being installed.
Once that base course is installed, milling will continue south toward Jackson Street in preparation for the final 2 inches of thick asphalt.Â
Lafayette will be closed to thru traffic during paving, which is expected to be completed by May 15.
Residents will have access to their homes, with various portions of the road inaccessible for brief periods, county officials said. An on-street parking restriction will be in place.
Those traveling south approaching the Lafayette Street bridge will be detoured onto Washington Street to the south end of Cape May. Those heading north along Jackson Street will be detoured east to Beach Avenue to Pittsburgh Avenue. Northbound traffic approaching Broadway is encouraged to head east along Broadway to Beach Avenue.
The project is expected to be completed by May 22. Following subsequent striping of the road, Lafayette street will be permanently reopened to all traffic.
Stone Harbor
The county will perform temporary paving restoration along Third Avenue on Monday and Tuesday between 93rd and 80th streets. Work will include milling and resurfacing travel lanes that were damaged during a recent utility replacement project performed by the borough.
Through traffic will be detoured around Third Avenue onto Second Avenue between 93rd and 80th streets. Local traffic will be maintained, and residents will have access to their homes.
The road will be reopened to through traffic overnight Monday. Motorists are urged to drive with caution as the road may be uneven at the centerline and will not be striped. Upon completion of the paving Tuesday, Third Avenue will be permanently open.
The paving is a temporary resurfacing effort to restore the road for summer traffic. The county will undertake a more comprehensive project beginning in September.
- Associated Press
TRENTON — Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday set a July primary and a September general election to fill the Newark-based U.S. House seat that opened after .
Murphy signed a writ of election, required under state law. The July 16 primary will be about a month after the state's regularly scheduled June 4 contest, followed by the general election Sept. 18.
The special election will determine who serves out the remainder of Payne's term, which ends Jan. 3, 2025, while the regular election process held in parallel will be for who fills the seat after that.
It's not yet clear who will be running in the heavily Democratic and majority-Black district, which is unlikely to flip as registered Republicans are outnumbered by more than 6 to 1.
Payne had already filed paperwork to run for reelection this year and is set to appear uncontested on the ballot for the regular June 4 primary. Should he win the nomination, Democratic Party committee members in his district could choose a replacement to run in the November general election.
Payne, who died April 24 of a heart attack connected to complications from diabetes, had served in the House since 2012.
He succeeded his father, Donald Milford Payne, who held the seat for two decades and also died while he was a sitting congressman.
- John O'Connor
ATLANTIC CITY — The state Department of Education won’t make a decision regarding the status of schools Superintendent La’Quetta Small until the charges against her and husband Mayor Marty Small Sr. are resolved, a spokesperson said Friday.
“The commissioner cannot make a final determination as to whether the Superintendent is disqualified from employment until the pending charges are fully adjudicated,†spokesperson Howard Seidman said in an email.
State education officials declined to comment on the investigation Monday.
The Atlantic City Board of Education held its first meeting April 23 since charges were filed against the Smalls for allegedly abusing their teenage daughter.
Both the board and La’Quetta Small didn’t address the charges during the meeting, and board President Shay Steele declined to comment, stating the situation is a “personnel matter†and cannot be discussed publicly.
Small, who has been superintendent since October 2021, makes $210,000 a year.
Superintendent Small, 47, was charged April 15 with three counts of disorderly persons simple assault.
Mayor Small, 50, was charged with terroristic threats, aggravated assault and disorderly persons simple assault.
Earlier this year, the couple’s teenager daughter told officials at Atlantic City High School she was being physically and mentally abused at home, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The claims set off an investigation that saw the high school principal, Constance Days-Chapman, charged March 28 with failing to report the alleged abuse.
Days-Chapman has since been replaced by the school district’s secondary education director, Donald Harris.
The Smalls are due in court May 15 for their first appearance.
- WAYNE PARRY Associated Press
LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP — Three anti-wind power groups are suing New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ to overturn a key environmental approval for a wind energy farm planned off the coast of Long Beach Island.
Save Long Beach Island, Defend Brigantine Beach and Protect Our Coast NJ filed suit in appellate court April 26 challenging a determination by the New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Department of Environmental Protection that the Atlantic Shores wind farm project meets the requirements of a federal coastal protection law.
Atlantic Shores is one of three proposed wind farms off New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥'s coast that have preliminary approval.
Bruce Afran, an attorney for the groups, said the state's “approval flies in the face of the federal regulator’s environmental impact statement that says the Atlantic Shores project will damage marine habitat, compress and harden the seafloor, damage marine communities, compromise migration corridors for endangered species, and cause commercial fishing stocks to decline.â€
The same three groups challenged a wind farm proposed by the Danish wind energy company Ørsted, which in October.
The lawsuit was the latest obstacle facing New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥'s quest to become the East Coast leader in offshore wind. These three groups are among the most vocal and litigious opponents of offshore wind projects.
The New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Attorney General's Office declined comment on the pending litigation, and Atlantic Shores did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
But Joshua Henne, a political strategist advising several groups fighting climate change, accused the anti-wind groups of acting in league with the fossil fuel industry.
“There ain’t nothing grassroots about this effort,†he said. "It's astroturf, seeded by the fossil fuel industry."
Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast, rejected that claim.
“We have never taken one penny from any entity linked to the fossil fuel industry,†he said. “Not one.â€
Up until a year ago, the group used the Caesar Rodney Institute to hold its money. The Delaware-based group is part of a group of think tanks supporting and funded by fossil fuel interests, according to the .
Caesar Rodney charged Protect Our Coast a 12% fee to hold its money, Shaffer said, adding his group currently has no relationship with the institute.
He also noted that one of the owners of Atlantic Shores is an affiliate of Shell, the global oil and gas company.
Shaffer said state and federal officials are racing to approve offshore wind projects without adequately considering potential negative impacts.
“It’s as if they are building an airplane while it’s in the air, only they have no idea where the plane is headed, or if it can be landed safely,†he said.
Jason Ryan, a spokesman for the American Clean Power Association, said the current slate of offshore wind projects is "among the most carefully planned and analyzed infrastructure projects in U.S. history; we are confident their permits will withstand legal scrutiny.â€
Earlier this week, New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥'s Board of Public Utilities opened a for additional offshore wind projects.
The state has set a goal of generating 100% of its power from clean sources by 2035.
- John O'Connor
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — A township man was arrested Friday after drugs including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine were allegedly found in his home, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.Â
Woody Demosthenes, 35, was charged with drug and weapons offenses along with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child after children ages 3 to 15 were found in the home, the Prosecutor's Office said in a news release.Â
Authorities searched Demosthenes' home Friday and found 20,750 stamped bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl, 41.1 ounces of suspected loose heroin/fentanyl, 25.65 ounces of suspected cocaine and 11 ounces of suspected methamphetamine in the basement and master bedroom of the home, the Prosecutor's Office said.Â
Also in the basement, authorities allegedly found items used in the packaging of narcotics, including ink pads, ink stampers, a metal sifter, a digital scale, an electronic blender with suspected narcotics residue, full white wax bags used in the packaging of heroin, a vacuum sealer, vacuum-sealed bags, a hazmat suit, full face respirator and cutting agents typically used to add weight to narcotics and increase profitability, the Prosecutor's Office said.Â
Authorities also found a Taurus .45 caliber handgun containing an extended 12-round magazine and 10 loaded hollow-point rounds in an unsecured closet in Demosthenes' bedroom, the Prosecutor's Office said. They also seized $10,961 in cash from Demosthenes' vehicle.Â
Demosthenes is being held in the Atlantic County jail.
The Prosecutor’s Office, Egg Harbor ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ police, State Police and Atlantic County SWAT team participated in the search and investigation.
- Selena Vazquez
SEA ISLE CITY — Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce will be behind the bar June 26 at the Ocean Drive Restaurant & Bar at 3915 Landis Ave. for an Eagles Autism Foundation fundraising event.
The 4 p.m. event will feature raffles, auctions, autographed items and other Eagles merch that will benefit Kelce's Team 62, one of the various organizations that raise awareness, as well as funds, for the autism foundation.
A $10 donation will be collected at the door.
This will be Kelce's fourth year in a row serving as a guest bartender at the Ocean Drive. He's raised more than $200,000 for the Eagles Autism Foundation since 2021.
Last year, Kelce was at the Ocean Drive event with his mom, Donna, and brother, Travis, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and current boyfriend of pop star Taylor Swift.
And in February, Kelce participated in the 16th annual Mike's Seafood Run/Walk for Autism.
Kelce has been going to the Ocean Drive since 2013 and has a home in New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥.
For more information about the event, visit or .
- Selena Vazquez
LOWER TOWNSHIP — A new restaurant and bar called Fish House is expected to open this summer on Sunset Beach.
Located just north of Cape May Point, overlooking the Delaware Bay and the SS Atlantus shipwreck, Fish House will replace The Grille at 502 Sunset Blvd., which is near the Sunset Beach gift shop and minigolf.
"Fish House enjoys a stunning natural setting overlooking the legendary Sunset Beach. We are deeply grateful to the Hume family, owners of Sunset Beach, whose continued stewardship and partnership allows us to introduce a fresh dining experience under the umbrella of Zest Restaurant Group," the Ìý²õ³Ù²¹³Ù±ð²õ.
Owned by Ross and Lauren Hammer of the Zest Restaurant Group, Fish House pays homage to East Coast seafood shacks and beach bars, according to its website.
It will serve fresh seafood, craft sandwiches and homemade local ice cream, according to the site. It also will serve "expertly crafted cocktails" and a "delightful wine selection."
The Hammers own and operate Taco Caballito Tequileria at 429 Beach Ave. in Cape May. They also are in the process of opening Port Cocktails and Cuisine at 954 Ocean Ave., where the former Harbor View Restaurant and Bar was located, and the Goat House, which will sell local produce and meats this summer.
"At Fish House, we strive to create a warm, inviting atmosphere reminiscent of a cherished neighborhood spot. We eagerly await the opportunity to welcome you to our corner of Cape May, where culinary excellence meets coastal charm at Fish House," the site states.
- Press staff reports
OCEAN CITY — In what is beginning to feel like a certain Bill Murray movie, Martin Z. Mollusk has done it again.
For the 51st consecutive year, under an overcast sky, the city’s hermit crab mascot saw his shadow on the day that bears his name, meaning, according to city legend, that summer will once again come a week early.
The shadow seeking took place on the beach next to the Music Pier. According to the city, the hermit crab has successfully predicted an early summer every year for five decades — sometimes with the creative use of flashlights by his handlers.
The ceremony was hosted by meteorologist “Nor’easter†Nick Pittman.
The Cape Shore Chorus Sweet Adelines and String Band Novelties provided musical accompaniment. Ocean City Fire Department EMTs checked Martin’s vitals to make sure he was fit for duty, and children from the city’s Little Rec’ers program had front-row seats to the pageantry.
Martin Z. Mollusk Day dates to 1974, when the city’s late spokesperson Mark Soifer created the early-season promotion by declaring that if Martin sees his shadow, summer will come a week early to Ocean City.
- John O'Connor
ATLANTIC CITY — A tort claim filed last week against Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, schools Superintendent La’Quetta Small, claims the couple attempted to destroy evidence to cover up alleged child abuse after they were charged with endangering the welfare of their teenage daughter, according to .
Mayor Small, 50, was charged April 15 with terroristic threats, aggravated assault and disorderly persons simple assault. La’Quetta Small, 47, was charged that same day with three counts of disorderly persons simple assault.
An affidavit of probable cause indicated the Smalls disapproved of their daughter’s boyfriend, who had audio recordings of the alleged abuse on an iPad.
A tort claim is required in certain legal actions targeting public entities.
The Smalls, the city Board of Education and Seashore Leadership Academy, an alternative school owned by the city and located in Galloway ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥, are named in the claim filed by Northfield-based attorney David Castellani, BreakingAC reported.
The couple used the academy’s principal, Eric Strickland, and their family members to attempt to confiscate and destroy evidence in the possession of the daughter’s boyfriend, the report states.
The tort alleges the Smalls targeted the teen before he started dating their daughter as he was sent to Seashore in December without a specific reason and was fired from his job when Mayor Small filed a criminal charge against him, which was dismissed last month for a lack of evidence.
The damages listed in the claim include negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution, malicious abuse of process, violation of civil rights and the right to Free Appropriate Public Education, retaliation, fraudulent destruction and/or concealment of evidence, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, fraud, intentional misrepresentation and a hostile school environment, the report states.
The Smalls are due in court May 15 for a first appearance.
- David Matthews New York Daily News
Pro-Palestine protesters took down and cleared their encampment at Rutgers University in New Brunswick on Thursday after agreeing to a deal with the school’s administration.
University President Jonathan Holloway had issued an ultimatum giving the protesters until 4 p.m. to dismantle the encampment and disperse, or face trespassing charges and removal by the police. Earlier in the day, the school had postponed final exams for about a thousand students.
The student organizers meanwhile had given the school a list of demands, including divesting from Israeli business interests, cutting ties with Tel Aviv University and giving at least 10 displaced Gaza students full scholarships to complete their degrees at the school.
Rutgers said divesting and its partnership with Tel Aviv University are “things not in the President’s control,†but would be reviewed.
However, most of the demands were met, according to the protesters.
Those include the requested scholarships; creating an Arab Cultural Center on each campus; establishing a partnership with Birzeit University in the West Bank; releasing a statement “acknowledging the ongoing genocide against Palestinians†and calling for a cease-fire; hiring more administrators with “cultural competency and knowledge†regarding Palestinian, Arab and Muslim issues; hiring professors in Middle East and Palestine studies and establishing a full department for those subjects; displaying flags of “displaced peoples†in all areas of campus where international flags are displayed; and providing full amnesty for all students, student groups, faculty and staff who participated in the protests, including those who have already been penalized.
Rutgers New Brunswick Chancellor Francine Conway said the “resolution was achieved through constructive dialogue between the protesting students and our leadership teams.â€
“This agreement opens the door for ongoing dialogue and better addresses the needs of our Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian student body, which numbers over 7,000,†she said.
The Rutgers protest was one of dozens at college campuses across the U.S., sparked by mass arrests at Columbia University. While student groups at some schools have reached similar agreements with administrators, several have faced arrest and school discipline.
- Bill Barlow
OCEAN CITY — After years — maybe decades — of talk, City Council took steps to move forward with the latest plan to address the city’s public safety building.
The current building at 835 Central Ave. is more than a century old. It has seen some updates since its days as a schoolhouse, but police and city officials say it is in poor shape and too small to continue to house the municipal court and the police.
At a recent meeting, council unanimously approved a $1.07 million contract with William McLees Architecture LLC of Somers Point to design the updates and additions to the building.
Council also introduced an ordinance that would lease two floors of the building at 801 Asbury Ave. for some police operations, including police administration, and the municipal court administrator’s office while the renovation work continues about a block away.
The lease for the fourth and fifth floors of the former Crown Bank building will run from July 1 to June 30, 2026, with an option to extend.
That ordinance is set for a public hearing and final vote May 9. The posted ordinance did not include a cost to rent the space, and there was no immediate response from the city to an emailed request for more information.
The plan also includes the creation of a police substation on the Boardwalk, which is expected to be the hub of summer operations. That proposal has been amended since the last time it was publicly discussed.
Plans had been for the building to be built at the street end of Eighth Street. Instead, it is now planned for the nearby parking lot, city Administrator George Savastano said in a presentation to council.
The architect, Mayor Jay Gillian, police representatives and others looked at the site and concluded the original plan was impractical, Savastano said.
At the meeting, Gillian cited the significant expense of moving utilities from the construction site.
The new plan will cost about $1 million less, Savastano said.
“We believe it works better than what we originally came up with,†he said.
A series of police chiefs have said the existing building does not meet their needs. Officials described buckets set around the third floor when it rains. But the delays had more to do with space than money.
The barrier island offers few options for where to put a new building. Potential locations raised, and ultimately dismissed, include the parking lot across the street from the current building; an open space at 16th Street the city has acquired where there had been a car dealership; and a combined police, fire and courts building where the city’s fire headquarters now stands across from the Primary School between Fifth and Sixth streets.
Some members of council were skeptical of the $42 million cost, while there were also concerns about the disruption to the area and putting the police and courts that close to schoolchildren. That plan would also require the city’s skate park to be relocated.
Council members Tom Rotondi and Jody Levchuk both said they prefer the current plan.
“I’m glad that we sat on this for a couple of years. This is a much better plan than from a couple of years ago,†Levchuk said.
Council member Dave Winslow had his own doubts, his about sinking millions into an old building. But he said he was convinced after meeting with Savastano.
“All too often we’ve waited and done nothing,†he said. “The cost of doing nothing is more expensive.â€
The city’s capital plan for the next five years includes $30 million for the upgrades to the public safety building.
Last year, the city bonded $6.5 million for the substation at Eighth Street. The same plan includes $8.5 million for upgrades to the fire headquarters.
The substation is expected to be completed by next summer, Savastano said. There will be parking for police vehicles on site, and additional parking underneath the building.
Savastano told council members the city worked closely with municipal court personnel and police. He said the department backs the current plan, and that the court had sought several changes and staff there are now satisfied.
It’s been three decades since the police and court building has seen significant renovations. Gillian said the discussions on what to do about the public safety building go back about 20 years.
It’s been at least since 2008, when serious consideration began about replacing the building, and officials started to talk seriously about where.
When the work is completed, it will look like a new building, he said, and more importantly will function like a new building.
“It needs a lot of work. We’re going to spend a lot of money to renovate it. But the bones (of the building) are not bad and the foundations are solid,†Savastano said. “When it’s done, it’s going to look like brand new.â€
He said city staff has spent thousands of hours working on the best option for the building.
“This is a good plan. In the administration’s view, it’s time to move forward,†Savastano said.
- BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI Associated Press
TOMS RIVER — The murder trial of a Barnegat ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ dad charged in the death of his 6-year-old son has begun with prosecutors and defense lawyers disputing what caused the boy's death.
Ocean County prosecutors argue Corey Micciolo died from blunt force trauma he suffered when Christopher Gregor, 31, forced him to run on a treadmill in March 2021. The workout was captured on surveillance video that shows Gregor continually increasing the treadmill's speed, causing his son to fall off off it face-first about six times.
Gregor's lawyer, Mario Gallucci, said their medical experts will testify that the child's death was due to sepsis caused by pneumonia. He acknowledged during opening arguments Tuesday that viewing the tape would “horrify†the jury, but argued it had nothing to do with the death, which occurred about two weeks after the workout took place.
Prosecutors also noted the boy had contusions all over his body, and his heart and liver were lacerated. Gallucci said the bruises came from the treadmill and playing football.
Testimony continued in the trial this week and will resume Tuesday. Besides the murder charge, Gregor faces a child endangerment charge stemming from the treadmill video.
More like this...
- Michelle Brunetti Post
ATLANTIC CITY — In the wake of a string of recent fires that damaged the iconic Boardwalk — one started by a campfire that killed a homeless man — resort leaders vowed Friday to find ways to prevent more homeless encampments from popping up.
“It’s not illegal to be homeless, but it is illegal to start fires under the Boardwalk,†said Boardwalk Committee Chair Tom Lamaine during a Friday morning Clean and Safe Atlantic City meeting. “I’m anxious to be sure we have a Boardwalk to be chairman of.â€
The fires have been happening as the city is embarking on a $26 million repair and rebuilding program for the aged structure, which runs about five miles from Gardner’s Basin to the border with Ventnor.
Last month, Bruce Eder, 67, died in a fire under Central Pier near a homeless encampment at the Boardwalk and Tennessee Avenue, where a campfire apparently got out of control, authorities said.
The police and public works do constant checks, said police Chief James Sarkos, but cannot always see the encampments.
“The places they are are deeply embedded. We can’t get to them unless we crawl on our hands and knees,†Sarkos said. “You can’t see them without crawling to get there. A lot of times they set up in the middle of the night.â€
At Wednesday’s CitiStat meeting, the fires were also front and center.
“We’ve had several Boardwalk fires, and there’s nobody more frustrated about that than the folks sitting at the table, including myself,†said Business Administrator Anthony Swan at the monthly meeting of city directors and residents. “We meet constantly on how to address that issue.â€
Swan said the city’s Health and Human Services Department and Police Department are always out looking for such encampments.
“The problem is the law doesn’t allow the PD (Police Department) to do what PD needs to do,†Swan said. “PD can only move people along ... write a summons, they can’t arrest anybody.â€
Swan said the homeless return as soon as the police leave.
“The solution is a combination of a change in the law that allows PD to do what PD needs to do, and also folks taking advantage of the services we offer,†Swan said.
In biweekly Clean and Safe meetings, city and law enforcement leaders, business owners, legislators and residents come together to work on making the city better for residents and visitors. The committee has succeeded in cracking down on repeat shoplifters, getting streetlights repaired and replaced, and creating a cooperative relationship to solve problems.
CitiStat is a monthly meeting for residents and others to bring up their concerns to city department heads.
The main problem is the city is overwhelmed with homeless, with other municipalities sending their homeless here because there are many more social services here, several people said.
“As long as Atlantic City has more than its share of homeless people, it is going to be that way,†Lamaine said. “We are inviting homeless people to come. ... As opposed to other communities, Atlantic City fits a homeless person more than any other.â€
Greater Atlantic City Chamber President Michael Chait recommended the group advocate for a bill like one introduced in 2016 by then state Sen. Chris Brown, R-Atlantic.
The bill (A1088) would have required social services be prearranged before a homeless person is relocated to a different municipality or county, and a plan would have to include an explanation of why the services could not be provided at home.
Brown, now an adviser to Gov. Phil Murphy on Atlantic City issues, said the main reason it never passed was “(Camden County political boss) George Norcross, (then state Senate President) Steve Sweeney and the Democratic caucus.â€
Joe Berg, chief of staff to state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, and Assembly members Don Guardian and Claire Swift, all R-Atlantic, said after the meeting he is researching that bill and may recommend it or something similar for reintroduction by Polistina.
While some homeless are sent here by other cities and counties, some choose to come here because of the 24/7 nature of the resort, Berg said.
“None of these homeless originate from Atlantic City; there is no question about it,†Sarkos said.
- John Russo
CAPE MAY — The county will complete the final resurfacing of phase 2 of Jackson and Lafayette streets this week.
Beginning Monday, milling will commence along Lafayette Street at Sydney Street and continue south to Madison Avenue. Milling depth will be about 6 inches, with a 4-inch intermediate base course being installed.
Once that base course is installed, milling will continue south toward Jackson Street in preparation for the final 2 inches of thick asphalt.Â
Lafayette will be closed to thru traffic during paving, which is expected to be completed by May 15.
Residents will have access to their homes, with various portions of the road inaccessible for brief periods, county officials said. An on-street parking restriction will be in place.
Those traveling south approaching the Lafayette Street bridge will be detoured onto Washington Street to the south end of Cape May. Those heading north along Jackson Street will be detoured east to Beach Avenue to Pittsburgh Avenue. Northbound traffic approaching Broadway is encouraged to head east along Broadway to Beach Avenue.
The project is expected to be completed by May 22. Following subsequent striping of the road, Lafayette street will be permanently reopened to all traffic.
Stone Harbor
The county will perform temporary paving restoration along Third Avenue on Monday and Tuesday between 93rd and 80th streets. Work will include milling and resurfacing travel lanes that were damaged during a recent utility replacement project performed by the borough.
Through traffic will be detoured around Third Avenue onto Second Avenue between 93rd and 80th streets. Local traffic will be maintained, and residents will have access to their homes.
The road will be reopened to through traffic overnight Monday. Motorists are urged to drive with caution as the road may be uneven at the centerline and will not be striped. Upon completion of the paving Tuesday, Third Avenue will be permanently open.
The paving is a temporary resurfacing effort to restore the road for summer traffic. The county will undertake a more comprehensive project beginning in September.
- Associated Press
TRENTON — Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday set a July primary and a September general election to fill the Newark-based U.S. House seat that opened after .
Murphy signed a writ of election, required under state law. The July 16 primary will be about a month after the state's regularly scheduled June 4 contest, followed by the general election Sept. 18.
The special election will determine who serves out the remainder of Payne's term, which ends Jan. 3, 2025, while the regular election process held in parallel will be for who fills the seat after that.
It's not yet clear who will be running in the heavily Democratic and majority-Black district, which is unlikely to flip as registered Republicans are outnumbered by more than 6 to 1.
Payne had already filed paperwork to run for reelection this year and is set to appear uncontested on the ballot for the regular June 4 primary. Should he win the nomination, Democratic Party committee members in his district could choose a replacement to run in the November general election.
Payne, who died April 24 of a heart attack connected to complications from diabetes, had served in the House since 2012.
He succeeded his father, Donald Milford Payne, who held the seat for two decades and also died while he was a sitting congressman.
- John O'Connor
ATLANTIC CITY — The state Department of Education won’t make a decision regarding the status of schools Superintendent La’Quetta Small until the charges against her and husband Mayor Marty Small Sr. are resolved, a spokesperson said Friday.
“The commissioner cannot make a final determination as to whether the Superintendent is disqualified from employment until the pending charges are fully adjudicated,†spokesperson Howard Seidman said in an email.
State education officials declined to comment on the investigation Monday.
The Atlantic City Board of Education held its first meeting April 23 since charges were filed against the Smalls for allegedly abusing their teenage daughter.
Both the board and La’Quetta Small didn’t address the charges during the meeting, and board President Shay Steele declined to comment, stating the situation is a “personnel matter†and cannot be discussed publicly.
Small, who has been superintendent since October 2021, makes $210,000 a year.
Superintendent Small, 47, was charged April 15 with three counts of disorderly persons simple assault.
Mayor Small, 50, was charged with terroristic threats, aggravated assault and disorderly persons simple assault.
Earlier this year, the couple’s teenager daughter told officials at Atlantic City High School she was being physically and mentally abused at home, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The claims set off an investigation that saw the high school principal, Constance Days-Chapman, charged March 28 with failing to report the alleged abuse.
Days-Chapman has since been replaced by the school district’s secondary education director, Donald Harris.
The Smalls are due in court May 15 for their first appearance.
- WAYNE PARRY Associated Press
LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP — Three anti-wind power groups are suing New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ to overturn a key environmental approval for a wind energy farm planned off the coast of Long Beach Island.
Save Long Beach Island, Defend Brigantine Beach and Protect Our Coast NJ filed suit in appellate court April 26 challenging a determination by the New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Department of Environmental Protection that the Atlantic Shores wind farm project meets the requirements of a federal coastal protection law.
Atlantic Shores is one of three proposed wind farms off New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥'s coast that have preliminary approval.
Bruce Afran, an attorney for the groups, said the state's “approval flies in the face of the federal regulator’s environmental impact statement that says the Atlantic Shores project will damage marine habitat, compress and harden the seafloor, damage marine communities, compromise migration corridors for endangered species, and cause commercial fishing stocks to decline.â€
The same three groups challenged a wind farm proposed by the Danish wind energy company Ørsted, which in October.
The lawsuit was the latest obstacle facing New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥'s quest to become the East Coast leader in offshore wind. These three groups are among the most vocal and litigious opponents of offshore wind projects.
The New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Attorney General's Office declined comment on the pending litigation, and Atlantic Shores did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
But Joshua Henne, a political strategist advising several groups fighting climate change, accused the anti-wind groups of acting in league with the fossil fuel industry.
“There ain’t nothing grassroots about this effort,†he said. "It's astroturf, seeded by the fossil fuel industry."
Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast, rejected that claim.
“We have never taken one penny from any entity linked to the fossil fuel industry,†he said. “Not one.â€
Up until a year ago, the group used the Caesar Rodney Institute to hold its money. The Delaware-based group is part of a group of think tanks supporting and funded by fossil fuel interests, according to the .
Caesar Rodney charged Protect Our Coast a 12% fee to hold its money, Shaffer said, adding his group currently has no relationship with the institute.
He also noted that one of the owners of Atlantic Shores is an affiliate of Shell, the global oil and gas company.
Shaffer said state and federal officials are racing to approve offshore wind projects without adequately considering potential negative impacts.
“It’s as if they are building an airplane while it’s in the air, only they have no idea where the plane is headed, or if it can be landed safely,†he said.
Jason Ryan, a spokesman for the American Clean Power Association, said the current slate of offshore wind projects is "among the most carefully planned and analyzed infrastructure projects in U.S. history; we are confident their permits will withstand legal scrutiny.â€
Earlier this week, New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥'s Board of Public Utilities opened a for additional offshore wind projects.
The state has set a goal of generating 100% of its power from clean sources by 2035.
- John O'Connor
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — A township man was arrested Friday after drugs including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine were allegedly found in his home, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.Â
Woody Demosthenes, 35, was charged with drug and weapons offenses along with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child after children ages 3 to 15 were found in the home, the Prosecutor's Office said in a news release.Â
Authorities searched Demosthenes' home Friday and found 20,750 stamped bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl, 41.1 ounces of suspected loose heroin/fentanyl, 25.65 ounces of suspected cocaine and 11 ounces of suspected methamphetamine in the basement and master bedroom of the home, the Prosecutor's Office said.Â
Also in the basement, authorities allegedly found items used in the packaging of narcotics, including ink pads, ink stampers, a metal sifter, a digital scale, an electronic blender with suspected narcotics residue, full white wax bags used in the packaging of heroin, a vacuum sealer, vacuum-sealed bags, a hazmat suit, full face respirator and cutting agents typically used to add weight to narcotics and increase profitability, the Prosecutor's Office said.Â
Authorities also found a Taurus .45 caliber handgun containing an extended 12-round magazine and 10 loaded hollow-point rounds in an unsecured closet in Demosthenes' bedroom, the Prosecutor's Office said. They also seized $10,961 in cash from Demosthenes' vehicle.Â
Demosthenes is being held in the Atlantic County jail.
The Prosecutor’s Office, Egg Harbor ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ police, State Police and Atlantic County SWAT team participated in the search and investigation.
- Selena Vazquez
SEA ISLE CITY — Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce will be behind the bar June 26 at the Ocean Drive Restaurant & Bar at 3915 Landis Ave. for an Eagles Autism Foundation fundraising event.
The 4 p.m. event will feature raffles, auctions, autographed items and other Eagles merch that will benefit Kelce's Team 62, one of the various organizations that raise awareness, as well as funds, for the autism foundation.
A $10 donation will be collected at the door.
This will be Kelce's fourth year in a row serving as a guest bartender at the Ocean Drive. He's raised more than $200,000 for the Eagles Autism Foundation since 2021.
Last year, Kelce was at the Ocean Drive event with his mom, Donna, and brother, Travis, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and current boyfriend of pop star Taylor Swift.
And in February, Kelce participated in the 16th annual Mike's Seafood Run/Walk for Autism.
Kelce has been going to the Ocean Drive since 2013 and has a home in New ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥.
For more information about the event, visit or .
- Selena Vazquez
LOWER TOWNSHIP — A new restaurant and bar called Fish House is expected to open this summer on Sunset Beach.
Located just north of Cape May Point, overlooking the Delaware Bay and the SS Atlantus shipwreck, Fish House will replace The Grille at 502 Sunset Blvd., which is near the Sunset Beach gift shop and minigolf.
"Fish House enjoys a stunning natural setting overlooking the legendary Sunset Beach. We are deeply grateful to the Hume family, owners of Sunset Beach, whose continued stewardship and partnership allows us to introduce a fresh dining experience under the umbrella of Zest Restaurant Group," the Ìý²õ³Ù²¹³Ù±ð²õ.
Owned by Ross and Lauren Hammer of the Zest Restaurant Group, Fish House pays homage to East Coast seafood shacks and beach bars, according to its website.
It will serve fresh seafood, craft sandwiches and homemade local ice cream, according to the site. It also will serve "expertly crafted cocktails" and a "delightful wine selection."
The Hammers own and operate Taco Caballito Tequileria at 429 Beach Ave. in Cape May. They also are in the process of opening Port Cocktails and Cuisine at 954 Ocean Ave., where the former Harbor View Restaurant and Bar was located, and the Goat House, which will sell local produce and meats this summer.
"At Fish House, we strive to create a warm, inviting atmosphere reminiscent of a cherished neighborhood spot. We eagerly await the opportunity to welcome you to our corner of Cape May, where culinary excellence meets coastal charm at Fish House," the site states.
- Press staff reports
OCEAN CITY — In what is beginning to feel like a certain Bill Murray movie, Martin Z. Mollusk has done it again.
For the 51st consecutive year, under an overcast sky, the city’s hermit crab mascot saw his shadow on the day that bears his name, meaning, according to city legend, that summer will once again come a week early.
The shadow seeking took place on the beach next to the Music Pier. According to the city, the hermit crab has successfully predicted an early summer every year for five decades — sometimes with the creative use of flashlights by his handlers.
The ceremony was hosted by meteorologist “Nor’easter†Nick Pittman.
The Cape Shore Chorus Sweet Adelines and String Band Novelties provided musical accompaniment. Ocean City Fire Department EMTs checked Martin’s vitals to make sure he was fit for duty, and children from the city’s Little Rec’ers program had front-row seats to the pageantry.
Martin Z. Mollusk Day dates to 1974, when the city’s late spokesperson Mark Soifer created the early-season promotion by declaring that if Martin sees his shadow, summer will come a week early to Ocean City.
- John O'Connor
ATLANTIC CITY — A tort claim filed last week against Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, schools Superintendent La’Quetta Small, claims the couple attempted to destroy evidence to cover up alleged child abuse after they were charged with endangering the welfare of their teenage daughter, according to .
Mayor Small, 50, was charged April 15 with terroristic threats, aggravated assault and disorderly persons simple assault. La’Quetta Small, 47, was charged that same day with three counts of disorderly persons simple assault.
An affidavit of probable cause indicated the Smalls disapproved of their daughter’s boyfriend, who had audio recordings of the alleged abuse on an iPad.
A tort claim is required in certain legal actions targeting public entities.
The Smalls, the city Board of Education and Seashore Leadership Academy, an alternative school owned by the city and located in Galloway ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥, are named in the claim filed by Northfield-based attorney David Castellani, BreakingAC reported.
The couple used the academy’s principal, Eric Strickland, and their family members to attempt to confiscate and destroy evidence in the possession of the daughter’s boyfriend, the report states.
The tort alleges the Smalls targeted the teen before he started dating their daughter as he was sent to Seashore in December without a specific reason and was fired from his job when Mayor Small filed a criminal charge against him, which was dismissed last month for a lack of evidence.
The damages listed in the claim include negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution, malicious abuse of process, violation of civil rights and the right to Free Appropriate Public Education, retaliation, fraudulent destruction and/or concealment of evidence, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, fraud, intentional misrepresentation and a hostile school environment, the report states.
The Smalls are due in court May 15 for a first appearance.
- David Matthews New York Daily News
Pro-Palestine protesters took down and cleared their encampment at Rutgers University in New Brunswick on Thursday after agreeing to a deal with the school’s administration.
University President Jonathan Holloway had issued an ultimatum giving the protesters until 4 p.m. to dismantle the encampment and disperse, or face trespassing charges and removal by the police. Earlier in the day, the school had postponed final exams for about a thousand students.
The student organizers meanwhile had given the school a list of demands, including divesting from Israeli business interests, cutting ties with Tel Aviv University and giving at least 10 displaced Gaza students full scholarships to complete their degrees at the school.
Rutgers said divesting and its partnership with Tel Aviv University are “things not in the President’s control,†but would be reviewed.
However, most of the demands were met, according to the protesters.
Those include the requested scholarships; creating an Arab Cultural Center on each campus; establishing a partnership with Birzeit University in the West Bank; releasing a statement “acknowledging the ongoing genocide against Palestinians†and calling for a cease-fire; hiring more administrators with “cultural competency and knowledge†regarding Palestinian, Arab and Muslim issues; hiring professors in Middle East and Palestine studies and establishing a full department for those subjects; displaying flags of “displaced peoples†in all areas of campus where international flags are displayed; and providing full amnesty for all students, student groups, faculty and staff who participated in the protests, including those who have already been penalized.
Rutgers New Brunswick Chancellor Francine Conway said the “resolution was achieved through constructive dialogue between the protesting students and our leadership teams.â€
“This agreement opens the door for ongoing dialogue and better addresses the needs of our Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian student body, which numbers over 7,000,†she said.
The Rutgers protest was one of dozens at college campuses across the U.S., sparked by mass arrests at Columbia University. While student groups at some schools have reached similar agreements with administrators, several have faced arrest and school discipline.
- Bill Barlow
OCEAN CITY — After years — maybe decades — of talk, City Council took steps to move forward with the latest plan to address the city’s public safety building.
The current building at 835 Central Ave. is more than a century old. It has seen some updates since its days as a schoolhouse, but police and city officials say it is in poor shape and too small to continue to house the municipal court and the police.
At a recent meeting, council unanimously approved a $1.07 million contract with William McLees Architecture LLC of Somers Point to design the updates and additions to the building.
Council also introduced an ordinance that would lease two floors of the building at 801 Asbury Ave. for some police operations, including police administration, and the municipal court administrator’s office while the renovation work continues about a block away.
The lease for the fourth and fifth floors of the former Crown Bank building will run from July 1 to June 30, 2026, with an option to extend.
That ordinance is set for a public hearing and final vote May 9. The posted ordinance did not include a cost to rent the space, and there was no immediate response from the city to an emailed request for more information.
The plan also includes the creation of a police substation on the Boardwalk, which is expected to be the hub of summer operations. That proposal has been amended since the last time it was publicly discussed.
Plans had been for the building to be built at the street end of Eighth Street. Instead, it is now planned for the nearby parking lot, city Administrator George Savastano said in a presentation to council.
The architect, Mayor Jay Gillian, police representatives and others looked at the site and concluded the original plan was impractical, Savastano said.
At the meeting, Gillian cited the significant expense of moving utilities from the construction site.
The new plan will cost about $1 million less, Savastano said.
“We believe it works better than what we originally came up with,†he said.
A series of police chiefs have said the existing building does not meet their needs. Officials described buckets set around the third floor when it rains. But the delays had more to do with space than money.
The barrier island offers few options for where to put a new building. Potential locations raised, and ultimately dismissed, include the parking lot across the street from the current building; an open space at 16th Street the city has acquired where there had been a car dealership; and a combined police, fire and courts building where the city’s fire headquarters now stands across from the Primary School between Fifth and Sixth streets.
Some members of council were skeptical of the $42 million cost, while there were also concerns about the disruption to the area and putting the police and courts that close to schoolchildren. That plan would also require the city’s skate park to be relocated.
Council members Tom Rotondi and Jody Levchuk both said they prefer the current plan.
“I’m glad that we sat on this for a couple of years. This is a much better plan than from a couple of years ago,†Levchuk said.
Council member Dave Winslow had his own doubts, his about sinking millions into an old building. But he said he was convinced after meeting with Savastano.
“All too often we’ve waited and done nothing,†he said. “The cost of doing nothing is more expensive.â€
The city’s capital plan for the next five years includes $30 million for the upgrades to the public safety building.
Last year, the city bonded $6.5 million for the substation at Eighth Street. The same plan includes $8.5 million for upgrades to the fire headquarters.
The substation is expected to be completed by next summer, Savastano said. There will be parking for police vehicles on site, and additional parking underneath the building.
Savastano told council members the city worked closely with municipal court personnel and police. He said the department backs the current plan, and that the court had sought several changes and staff there are now satisfied.
It’s been three decades since the police and court building has seen significant renovations. Gillian said the discussions on what to do about the public safety building go back about 20 years.
It’s been at least since 2008, when serious consideration began about replacing the building, and officials started to talk seriously about where.
When the work is completed, it will look like a new building, he said, and more importantly will function like a new building.
“It needs a lot of work. We’re going to spend a lot of money to renovate it. But the bones (of the building) are not bad and the foundations are solid,†Savastano said. “When it’s done, it’s going to look like brand new.â€
He said city staff has spent thousands of hours working on the best option for the building.
“This is a good plan. In the administration’s view, it’s time to move forward,†Savastano said.
- BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI Associated Press
TOMS RIVER — The murder trial of a Barnegat ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ dad charged in the death of his 6-year-old son has begun with prosecutors and defense lawyers disputing what caused the boy's death.
Ocean County prosecutors argue Corey Micciolo died from blunt force trauma he suffered when Christopher Gregor, 31, forced him to run on a treadmill in March 2021. The workout was captured on surveillance video that shows Gregor continually increasing the treadmill's speed, causing his son to fall off off it face-first about six times.
Gregor's lawyer, Mario Gallucci, said their medical experts will testify that the child's death was due to sepsis caused by pneumonia. He acknowledged during opening arguments Tuesday that viewing the tape would “horrify†the jury, but argued it had nothing to do with the death, which occurred about two weeks after the workout took place.
Prosecutors also noted the boy had contusions all over his body, and his heart and liver were lacerated. Gallucci said the bruises came from the treadmill and playing football.
Testimony continued in the trial this week and will resume Tuesday. Besides the murder charge, Gregor faces a child endangerment charge stemming from the treadmill video.
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